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Making the Reroof Call with Help from Roofing Contractors in Sarasota

December 16, 2013 by Jesse Curry

Reroofing may be a good option when you are considering added protection for your home or facility. However, are you convinced you’re doing the right thing? Jim Corv of Remodeling Magazine might help you steer in that direction.

“Tearing off the old shingles can add anywhere from a few hours to a day to a roofing job. It can also raise the cost of the job from 25% to 50%. And then there’s the problem of disposal. On Nantucket Island, Mass., for instance, shingles cost $250 a ton to discard. “Say you’re doing a 30-square roof. You could be spending $750 or $800 in dump fees,” contractor Jim Lydon points out.

For all those reasons, Lydon tells clients it’s OK to roof over existing shingles if (1) it’s a relatively new building and “basically up to code”; (2) the old shingles are “nice and smooth,” providing a relatively even surface for reroofing; and (3) the beams and boards of the roof structure are in good enough shape to hold a nail.”

A reroof may appeal to Sarasota natives as well; Florida’s tropical weather makes even the best roofing systems out on the market last no longer than 15 years. Letting those covers soldier on for longer than their intended operational life may be stretching the value a bit too far and will seriously affect the house’s internal structure before long. You need to avoid that problem early on by tapping roofing contractors in Sarasota such as Roofing by Curry for your new assignment.

An initial consultation with your preferred contractor will iron out some of the issues to be expected when considering a reroof. For instance, the contractor will query the homeowners about the roof’s leak history and identify potential threats to the structure, if there’s only one layer. Warning signs in a reroof inspection include shingles that are cracked at the corner or have curled edges.

Cory adds that the sheathing material and its condition are key elements in determining the feasibility of a reroof. Plywood sheaths cannot handle two layers of shingles, but a tongue-and-groove system can shoulder three. Although the latter may be an effective option, your contractor may insist on installing a new roof if there are already two layers.